The present invention relates to phase-shifting a circuit for providing a signal phase-shifted by an angle .DELTA..PHI. predetermined with respect to the phase of a reference signal; this phase-shift .DELTA..PHI. can be any function of time or a constant.
According to the present invention there is provided a phase-shifting circuit having a first input adapted to receive a first periodic frequency signal f.sub.o, comprising a digital counter having N stages, of capacity 2.sup.N, the input of which is connected, at least indirectly, to the input of the phase-shifting circuit, and whose output delivers a second periodic frequency signal f.sub.o /2.sup.N, a number generator, the output of which presents a number K, and a first arithmetic digital circuit the inputs of which are connected, respectively, to the output of the digital counter and to the output of the number generator, and the output of which delivers a third periodic signal, the second and the third periodical signals having equal frequencies and a difference of phase determined by the number K.
The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.